


Penelope and the Seven Demons

by Varydox



Category: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Polyamory, Slow Burn, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-28
Updated: 2020-01-28
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:54:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22442920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Varydox/pseuds/Varydox
Summary: MC/Penelope Carson and the events of her time in the Devildom.
Relationships: Beelzebub & Main Character (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!), Main Character & Mammon (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!), Main Character & Satan (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My apologies for grammatical errors, using my phone to type isn't my string suit.

Penelope froze as she looked at the mansion. The guy, Mammon, stopped and rolled his eyes at her.

"Hurry up, I wanna get home already," he snarled. "I can't believe I have to babysit you. I'm the second eldest, y'know? You oughta be grateful."

Penelope didn't register what he had said.

"You live here?" she asked.

"Um, duh. Man, you are dumb."

"If you don't want to show me around, then don't,' she crossed her arms.

"I- You should talk to me with more respect! I'm THE Mammon."

"Whatever," she said under her breath. "Lead the way, 'oh great one'."

He kept walking, grumbling as she went, and as she followed she thought about home. She wished she had known about this so she could visit her brothers and her parents before being swept away to this world, so that she could say goodbye, despite knowing it would have fallen on deaf ears and dead lips that wouldn't reply. Or her best friend and roommate, Lana, who surely would be worried about her. And while she didn't care about them, it would have been great to see Carl's and Denise's faces if she had told them she was finally getting out of that Hell hole town. Fuck Carl. And fuck Denise. But especially fuck Carl.

"Hey, are ya even listenin'?" Mammon asked.

"Sorry," she told him. 

"You gotta pay attention here, if ya don't, you'll get eaten by some lesser demon," he told her.

"Aww, are you worried about something happening to me?"

"Don't be stupid! Why would I, the Great Mammon, be worried about you? Let's get somethin' straight here-"

"I'm not, but go on."

"Shuddup... I ain't afraid of Lucifer, got it? I ain't afraid of anything, least of all some weak, pathetic human girl."

"Whatever you say," she snorted.

\-----  
Dinner had been awkward, to say the very least. There was something unnerving about how some of the demons kept their eyes on her, and the ones who didn't look at her made her just as uncomfortable. She had barely eaten, as she had been too nervous. But now as she lay in bed, her stomach was keeping her awake.

She threw on a black camisole and some old orange shorts from when she was in highschool before opening the bedroom door. They at least kept the halls and stairway well lit, if it had been dark she might have chosen to stay in her room and try to stick it out, but as it was, she wandered downstairs into the kitchen. She was surprised to find one of the of the brothers, the red headed Beelzebub, eating something. He hadn't seemed to register her, but he took her by surprise all the same.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't know anyone else was down here," she apologized.

"S'alright," he said without looking at her. "I get hungry at night."

"Heh, I know the feeling."

They both locked eyes as her stomach suddenly growled. 

"I guess I didn't have a lot of dinner," she smiled. 

"You need to eat to stay healthy," he told her, not changing his expression.

"I know, I'm just... missing my family a little more, and it makes it hard to eat."

"Your family? Do you have siblings?"

"Yeah... Two brothers. Charlie and Justin."

He smiled at her. Wow, did he look cute when he smiled. "Well, they'd want you to take care of yourself here, right?"

"You're right," her smiled deepened.

"What are they like?"

"They were great. I guess I wish I could have at least brought them some fresh flowers before I was sent here."

"Hm?" He seemed confused.

"Oh, sorry, I should have been clear. My family passed away a few years ago. I was on a school trip, but the interior gas line had a leak and when Dad turned on the stove..." her breath became shaky. "Justin survived for a few months, life support, but I decided it was time for him to go. Even if by some miracle he came back, his burns were so severe, he'd need constant medical treatment and he'd be in a hospital the rest of his life."

"That must have been a hard decision."

There was something sad in his eyes as he frowned. 

"It was. He was only eight years old. But at least he's not in pain anymore. Anyway, I visit the cemetery every week."

When she opened the fridge, she saw that her plate was inside with a note telling Beel that he would incur Lucifer's wrath if he found out the Avatar of Gluttony ate it. 

She couldn't help but be grateful that the raven haired demon had been thinking of her.

"I hope you don't mind the company?" she asked, sitting next to him.

"No, it's nice," he assured her. "I'm usually the only one down here at night. I... Don't like being alone."

"I can relate."

They sat in silence as they ate. There was something comforting about having him there with her. He was intimidating due to his height and muscular physique, but he seemed kind and strangely very human. 

"I'm going back to bed," he announced. But before he left, she felt his hand on her shoulder. "Don't stay up too late, Penelope."

"Oh, you can call me Nelly," she nodded.

"Nelly... Good night, Nelly."

\-------

DING

_Lucifer: Penelope, are you in bed?_

_Nells: Sorry, I'm in the kitchen. I guess I should have eaten at dinner._

_Lucifer: That is quite alright. You saw your plate, I assume?_

_Nells: I did, thanks for that. I'll make sure to clean up down here before I head back to my room._

_Lucifer: That would be lovely_. 

\-----  
The next morning, Penelope awoke feeling confused, embarrassed and aroused. Despite having just met Beelzebub, her mind had apparently wandered while she slept. 

' _Get a hold of yourself, Penelope_ ,' she thought as she went about her morning routine. 

Unfortunately, the cute red head would not leave her thoughts. His incredible eyes and amazing smile were at the forefront of her mind as she dressed, finding herself wondering what outfit he might like to see her in.

"Ugh," she lightly pinched herself. "This is just some stupid crush because he was nice to you. Get it together!"

"Get what together?"

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?"

Mammon was sitting on her bed, scrolling through his DDD, completely oblivious to the fact that she was only in her underthings.

"Lucifer wants me to bring you down for breakfast," he said nonchalantly.

"Leave."

He finally looked up at her.

"In case you hadn't noticed, Mammon," she said through gritted teeth. "I am naked."

He looked her over.

"No you ain't."

"GET. OUT."

"Please, I'm thousands of years old, stupid. Its not like THE Mammon never saw it be- HEY!"

She had grabbed his DDD out of his hand and was standing behind her door, gesturing for him to leave.

"Dude! Seriously! Leave!"

He rolled his eyes, snatched the DDD away before leaving.

\-------  
He was waiting outside for her when she finished getting dressed. She ignored him when he tried to say something. She wasn't sure if it was an apology or some insult about her being human, but it didn't matter. Supposedly, he was meant to take her on a tour of the Devildom today, not that she was interested in spending anymore time with the jerk.

"Look, human , you're stuck with me," she heard him say when the reached the ground floor. "So... Just do what I say, got that? It'll make all of this a lot easier."

When they reached the dining room, Lucifer greeted them both. All of the brothers seemed uncomfortable.

"Alright, all of you, I know it's strange having someone new in the house, but let's not make Penelope feel unwelcome," he told the table, as Mammon grumbled.

"Something you'd like to add, Mammon?"

"N-no..."

"So..." Penelope stared at her plate. "This is awkward... Maybe the other human-Solomon, right? Maybe he and I should switch dorms?"

' _yes_ ', Mammon thought.

"Not at all," Satan shook his head. "This must be as awkward for you as it is for us. The only way to make it less so is if we power through it."

"Oh..."

"So... Penelope," Satan continued. "Do you have a nickname or do you prefer your full name?"

"My family and friends call me Nell or Nelly. I like them both," she smiled.

"Not Penny?" Asmo asked. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but is that not the typical nickname?"

"I was named after my mom, she went by Penny, so Nelly made it less confusing."

"And what did you do in the human world?" Asmo went on. There was something in his eyes that she didn't like. Like he knew.

"I had... A lot of weird jobs," she partially confessed. "But they paid for my half of the rent and all that."

"Ooh! Like what? Naked masseuse? Prostitute?"

"That's enough, Asmodeus," Lucifer warned.

"So, what's human school like?" Satan asked her.

"I mean, how different could schools be? But ours was not as formal as RAD seems. We don't have uniforms, we just wear whatever," she told him, gesturing to Mammon's jacket.

Beel brought in the food, and Penelope was grateful for it. She suddenly realized just how hungry she was. And wow, was he that hot last night? She could feel her face growing warm and prayed she wasn't blushing as hard as she felt she was.

"Oh, Nelly," Beel looked her over. "Were you able to get some sleep last night?"

"Yeah, I did, thanks," she nodded. "And thanks for talking to me about... Y'know. It meant a lot."

"Family always comes first," he nodded. "I hope you don't mind, but could you cook dinner tonight? We all rotate the kitchen duty."

"Oh ... Yeah, I can but... Do you guys even have human world ingredients?"

"Psh, whatta stupid question, human," Mammon rolled his eyes.

"What's that, Mammon?" Lucifer spoke up. "You said you would be happy to take Penelope's kitchen duties AND your own?"

"Ugh... No... I said... Yes, Nelly, of course we have human food," he responded through clenched teeth.

"Oh, well then great, yeah I'd be happy to be on the rotation."

\------

DING

_Asmo: oooh! The lovely little human seems to have a crush 💘💘_

_Satan: that wasn't nice, Asmo._

_Asmo: to what would you be referring to?_

_Levi: idk, the prostitute part?_

_Asmo: of course, none of you could sense it. I'm almost 100% certain our darling Nelly has a dirty little secret 😈😈😈_

_Mammon: damn, what's the matter with ya?_

_Asmo: let's have a wager, brothers? Who can find out her little secret?_

_Levi: pass._

_Mammon: what do we win if we find out?_

_Asmo: that's the spirit, Mammon! Hmm..._

_Asmo: how about 2000 Grimm?_

_Mammon: done._

_Satan: not done. As much as I enjoy a good wager, I don't feel like delving into Nelly's past._

_Asmo: it would piss off Lucifer._

_Satan: so where do we begin?_

_Beel: I don't like this idea._

_Asmo: how unfortunate. I have a sneaking suspicion that you have a head start, Beel. What if I took you out to dinner, IF you win?_

_Beel: I'm in._

\------------


	2. Day Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Penelope goes about her second day in the Devildom, and learns a little more about the brothers

"Alright, you've seen everything, let's get some lunch," Mammon sat down at a table outside of a small café. 

"Oh, do you have money?" Penelope asked.

"Psh- no, and you should feel grateful that you get to buy THE Mammon lunch," Mammon put his hands behind his head.

"Nelly doesn't have any Grimm, Mammon," Beel frowned. Penelope had asked if he wanted to join them, hoping it would lessen the awkward situation if someone she actually enjoyed being around was with her. "I'll pay for you, Nelly. The moron can pay for himself."

"Wha?? You'd really let your big brother starve, Beel?"

"That's really unnecessary," she assured Beel. "I'll just make something back at the dorm, but thank you."

"HEY! DON'T IGNORE ME!"

"You sure? Well, alright."

Beel went inside, leaving the two of them alone. Penelope shifted uncomfortably. Mammon feigned interest in his DDD, but found himself studying her face. 

"So..." Mammon started. "Ya never answered Asmo this mornin'. What DID you do in the human world?"

"I really don't want to talk about it," her eyes narrowed.

"Why not?"

"Ugh, didn't your mother ever tell you not to pry into other people's lives?"

"Mom wasn't around much, actually," he put the DDD into his jacket pocket. 

"O-oh..." she flushed. "I... I'm sorry."

"For what? It ain't a big deal.'

"That's... That's sad to hear."

Her eyes looked sad to him, and he felt something stir in his chest.

"Don't go cryin', human. I said it ain't a big deal."

"Okay, well... since your interested," she fidgeted with the cuff of her sweater. "Let's just say... I did stuff I'm not proud of to survive. But I will tell you, I was NOT a prostitute."

\-----

_Mammon: Well, you were wrong about prostitute._

_Asmo: Naked masseuse?_

_Mammon: Shit, I didn't ask._

_Mammon: Hold up, I'm gonna ask._

_Asmo: You moron, you can't just ask her!_

_Satan: Seriously? Are you truly that incompetent?_

_Satan: What am I saying? You are Mammon after all._

_Levi: LMAO_

_Mammon: How am I supposed to win my money if I don't ask_?  
\------

A waitress brought out food continuously due to the volume Beel had ordered. Despite the fact that he clearly needed a lot of food, he wasn't a messy eater. It seemed he had bought Mammon something despite his earlier protest, and Penelope was surprised when the waitress brought her a teacup.

"Oh, no, I didn't order anything," she told her. 

"I ordered it for you," Beel said as he finished his fourth poisoned apple tart. "It's called Currantea."

"That's really sweet of you," she put a hand on his arm. "Thank you. How much was it? I'd like to pay you back once I take a part time job."

He stared at her hand.

"Um... No no, it's a gift. You don't have to pay me back."

"Wow, you're the best, bro!" Mammon smiled.

"YOU do have to pay me back," Beel shot a glance at the second born who practically deflated.

"Well, I appreciate it," she said as she took a sip. It was amazing. "Wow, it's delicious!"

"It's one of my br- my favorites!" He blushed. "I'm glad you like it."

\-----  
"Ah, Nelly darling!" Asmo threw an arm around her as they stepped into the entryway of the House. 

"A-Asmodeus?" she stuttered.

"Just Asmo is fine, you sweet thing," he winked and started to walk away with her. She turned to Mammon and Beel, mouthing for one of them to save her. "You must come with me, I need your opinion on something."

"Asmo? Hands off," Beel furrowed his eyebrows. "No desecrating the human."

"Oh, brother dear, you wound me," Asmo blinked. "Although, I suppose you can come too. Mammon, you stay here and do whatever it is you waste your time doing."

"Huh?? Like I'd want to go to your room, Asmo," Mammon shook his head and went into the library. "I'm gonna play go play cards, you comin', Beel?"

"Yeah," Beel replied before turning back to Asmo.

"Lucifer doesn't-" Beel began, but the Avatar of Lust cut him off.

"What Lucifer doesn't know can't hurt him," he grinned deviously while locking eyes with Penelope. "I just wanted your opinion on an outfit for tonight."

"It's... It's okay Beel," she stammered, hoping it was the truth.

"Call me if you need anything," the red head nodded then followed Mammon.

\-------

"Oh, you sweet thing," Asmo chuckled as they entered his room. "Some men need you to be clear. He'll never get it if you play coy like that."

Penelope blushed.

"It's that obvious, huh?"

"I know just about all there is when it comes to attraction. Only one day, and you can't even stop yourself from blushing when you talk to him. Not that blame you. If Beel would let me, I'd be all over that body of his."

She fidgeted with her hands and blushed at this admission. 

"I thought you guys were all brothers..."

Asmo chuckled playfully.

"As in, our dad- you know him as God- created us."

"Wait, so you're all angels?"

"If I answer, will you answer one of my questions?"

"Does that question involve my career?"

He grinned.

"You're smarter than I gave you credit for. There's truly no reason for you to hide it. Don't forget who I am."

She was suddenly aware of how close his face was to her own, his lips dangerously close to hers. 

"So ... Why do you need my opinion? What's tonight?"

  
"Tonight I am going to a party at The Fall," he pulled away. "And you are coming with me."

"What's The Fall?"

"It's a nightclub, my dear," he smirked. 

"I'm...not really a club person," she frowned.

"Nonsense, it will be fun! And it won't just be the two of us, Lucifer is going as well."

"Somehow that doesn't make me feel better. And I... Uh," she gave a feeble cough into her inner elbow. "Oh, look at that, I'm probably getting sick, and I'd hate to infect all of you, so..."

"Don't be silly. It's just a fun night of dancing."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

He studied her for a moment.

"Anybody can dance, it's really not that difficult."

"I can dance just fine, thanks," her eyes narrowed. 

"Alright, fine don't tell me. Guess it'll just be you and Mammon tonight, then," he shrugged.

"Y'know on second thought, dancing sounds like a real blast."


	3. The Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asmo gets to know Penelope better

"You truly have lovely skin," Asmo crooned as he and Penelope walked to The Fall.

"That's... unsettling, but not quite creepy enough to send someone running," she told him.

He had insisted on her wearing a tight green dress that accentuated her curves, while still having enough length that she wasn't concerned about any wardrobe malfunctions. He had also requested to do her nails and make up, saying her natural curls were utter perfection.

"That's what I thought," he sighed. "This game of yours is difficult. I don't have any experience in attempting to frighten potential partners away."

"You have to get creative. Telling someone they have nice skin is a great compliment," she pointed out. "But if you want to actually scare them, you should follow it up with something like... Oh."

She moved ahead of him, stopping them both in their tracks, and she grasped his hands within her own as she looked deeply into his eyes.

"Asmo, you have beautiful skin. I can't wait to try it on."

He started laughing.

"Oh my, you win. That would definitely scare off a date."

"Yeah," she moved to his side as they continued. "I have a lot of experience in scaring off dates."

"Why is that?"

"Eh. I guess I just didn't... Really want a relationship. And the guys back home are covered in red flags."

"I don't suppose that has anything to do with your career?"

She rolled her head to the side and raised an eyebrow, unamused.

"Why are you all so interested?"

"It's fascinating, for one thing. You are very different from Solomon. A human with no magical abilities means you must resort to many other activities to survive."

"Trust me, there's nothing fascinating about it."

"Why don't you want to talk about it?"

"It's embarrassing," she sighed. "There's got to be something that you have done that you regret or want to keep private."

"No, I'm an open book."

"Sure," she rolled her eyes. 

"And besides that, I'm certain that whatever it is won't phase us. We don't have the same hang ups as you humans do."

She considered that for a moment.

"Maybe not, but it isn't your feelings I'm protecting."

"I suppose it is only fair that I tell you we have a little wager to see which of us can figure it out."

"Excuse me?"

"Think of it as an icebreaker," he winked.

"Even if you do have different beliefs about certain things, I can't just unlearn everything I know over night."

\--------

When they arrived at The Fall there were quite a few demons there. The club was incredibly different from Carl's back home, mainly due to the fact that everything seemed clean and in good repair. She tried to keep her eyes off of the "entertainment", and simply followed Asmo . When they sat down at a table, a demon who looked am awful lot like a kid, asked what they wanted to drink.

"I'm not sure what's in these," she tried to tell Asmo.

He smiled and ordered two drinks as she nervously stared at the table.

"Not to worry, Lucifer did tell us that there are some things you humans can't have," he winked. "I think you'll find it to your liking."

"So what do your brothers get if they win the bet?"

"It depends on who wins."

"And what if you win?"

"Haha, I think I already have a good idea of what you're trying to hide, darling."

Penelope looked up from the table to see him staring at her intently with an air of confidence.

"In fact, I figured it out the moment we walked in, when you tried to avoid looking at the dancers. You don't want to be in a night club, because you are only familiar with those seedy dens of perversion up in the human world, so it is clear that you worked at one. I'll be honest, I thought I might have been losing my touch and that maybe you were a bartender or waitress, but now that we're here, I'm certain that you were a dancer."

She blushed. "If only.".

"Dancer, stripper, it makes no difference to me."

"So you figured it out. What do you win?"

He chuckled.

"The satisfaction of knowing."

"Seriously? That's all you wanted?"

"I never told my brothers what I wanted. It was an amusing game, and it will be so much more fun knowing that they still have no clue."

She eyed him carefully.

"You're not going to tell them?"

"Nope!" he smiled cheerfully. "Satan might figure it all out eventually, but he's such a prude, it will be awhile."

"Asmo, why is Penelope here?" a stern voice asked.

Lucifer and Diavolo were standing at the table, the demon prince seemed unphased by her presence but Lucifer appeared agitated.

"I thought she would enjoy a night out," Asmo grinned. 

"Nelly!" Diavolo greeted. "So glad to see you again!"

"Lord Diavolo," she nodded. 

"You look lovely."

"Courtesy of Asmo," she gestured.

"Its good to see that you are already connecting with us. Both of you, keep up the good work. Lucifer, shall we?" Diavolo gestured to another table.

"Of course," Lucifer replied. As he walked to the table, he continuously stared daggers into Asmodeus.

"Now that they're gone," Asmo smirked. "Let's talk about you and Beel."


	4. After the Fall

As Asmo and Penelope walked around the stone streets after leaving the club, she found that she actually enjoyed spending time with him. He was definitely a narcissist, but somehow it didn't bother her quite as much as she originally thought it would. He was also charitable in some ways, and mucher kinder than Mammon.

"Hey, what's Mammon's deal?"

"You mean other than being complete scum?"

"I guess I don't really understand what I did to make him not like me. The second we met, he was a jerk."

"Well, in his defense, he IS a demon, love."

"So are you and Beel, but other than the prying into my personal life, I don't think you're all that bad."

He laughed with a tone that she didn't like. She was unsure if it was meant to be sinister or playful, but it sent a shiver up her spine.

"You are a strange one," he said once he had finished laughing. "My brother doesn't like knowing he isn't the most important person in the room. Don't look at me that way. I already know I'm gorgeous, but Mammon likes having validation from others. He knows he's a screw up and that he's scum but Father knows he'd never admit it. He's just upset because he feels like Lucifer leashed him to you without his input."

"Huh... I guess I wouldn't like that either."

As they walked around, looking into different shops, Penelope was surprised by how similar everything was to the human world. They were looking into a shop window when her DDD started ringing.

"Why is Mammon calling me?" she asked aloud. She touched the start call button and immediately heard him rambling.

"Stupid human, Lucifer's gonna kill me. Should have just gone to the stupid club."

"Mammon?"

"Y-ya picked up! Don't take so long next time! Where are ya?"

"I'm downtown with Asmo, why?"

"Ya need to get back here now!"

"Huh? Why?"

"N-no reason! Just hurry up!"

CLICK

She and Asmo looked at each other in surprise.

"I guess I better find out what he wants," she smiled at Asmo.

"Want me to walk you back?"

"That's okay, I'll be alright."

It was a good thing her DDD had a map app, amusingly called 'mapplication'. She made her way through the winding streets until she was knocked over by someone running into her.

"OW! What the Hell..." She shouted as she rubbed her elbow that had caught her fall.

"Human! It's you! What's takin' so long?" Mammon grabbed her arm and pulled her onto her feet.

"Sorry, I'm still getting used to the place," she frowned. "Why did you need me to go back to the dorm so quickly?"

"Lucifer called me, started goin' off 'bout leavin' ya with Asmo. We gotta get get back before he does."

He started patting her down, uncaring of what exactly he may be patting. One hand touched a breast, and instinct brought one hand across his face with a loud slap.

"WHAT THE HELL YA HIT ME FOR?!"

"WELL, WHY ARE YOU FEELING ME UP?!"

"I AIN'T GETTIN' FRESH WITH YA, IDIOT! I'M MAKIN' SURE THAT PERVERT DIDN'T VIOLATE YA!"

"Oh! Is that all? For your information, Asmo was a perfect gentleman! The only person being inappropriate here is you!"

They were both startled to hear a cheerful giggle. When Asmodeus and Lucifer found them, Mammon's hands were on Penelope's waist holding her at arm's length to keep her from striking him again, while she was grasping the opening of his jacket. 

"I told you, didn't I? It's like they are a couple already! Though, this lovely human is wasted on our scummy brother," Asmo practically purred as he spoke.

"We ain't a couple, Asmo!" Mammon let go of Penelope and pouted as she staggered and tried to balance herself.

"I've heard quite enough," Lucifer looked from one brother to the next. "Mammon, it is your job to keep Penelope safe. You are to stay by her side unless she is with myself or someone Lord Diavolo appoints. Asmodeus, you expressly went against my wishes by bringing Penelope to The Fall. Penelope, while I acknowledge that you must be going through an amount of culture shock, your goal is to make it through this year without a lesser demon killing you. Gallavanting around without Mammon is asking for trouble that you do not want to invite. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes sir," Asmo nodded.

"Crystal," Penelope continued to glare at the second born.

"Mammon."

It wasn't a request; it was an order.

"Yeah," Mammon rolled his eyes.

"Now take our guest back to her room, Mammon."

\------

As they climbed the stairs, Mammon didn't say anything. Penelope actually felt bad for having yelled at him Before.

"Mammon?"

"..."

"I just wanted to say sorry, for before."

"...'

"And I'm sorry that you're being forced to watch out for me. I would be pissed off too if I was in your shoes."

He stopped on a landing and looked at her.

"Any chance you and I could start over?"

"Heh," he smiled deviously. "You should feel honored that THE Mammon is givin' ya a second chance."

She couldn't help but laugh. He was actually pretty cute when he smiled.

"Yes, how charitable of you," she teased.

"Hey! I'm the Avatar of Greed, remember?"

When they reached her room, he waited for her to go inside and close the door before returning to his own room. As he held out a hand to open his own door, he sensed one of his brothers standing behind him.

"You could smell it too, right?" Asmo grinned.

"You're an asshole," Mammon's eyebrows furrowed.

"Hmmm, but it wasn't as though I could leave her here in the state she's in. There's no telling what you would have done to her, given the circumstances."

Mammon rolled his eyes.

"I ain't like you, Asmo. Just cuz I know it's her time, doesn't mean I'd do anythin'."

"Well, prepare yourself, dear brother, I believe the worst is yet to come. Most human women don't know when their time is upon them. And tomorrow, she'll be at RAD. Every demon in the school is going to smell her. You have your work cut out for you."

\----------

DING

_Lucifer: Mammon, I don't believe that I need to stress the importance of you staying near Penelope tomorrow._

_Lucifer: I don't want any demons taking advantage of her._

_Mammon: Bro, I got it._

_Lucifer: Do you?_

_Mammon: I've been around enough witches to know about ovulation, Bro. I ain't stupid._

_Lucifer: That is up for debate._

_Lucifer: Do not disappoint me_.


	5. Angels Keep Watch

The uniform for RAD was different from anything Penelope had ever worn in her life, having only attended public schools that were informal with their dress codes. A uniform was completely new to her. She remembered her friend and roommate, Lana, had gone to a private school and the uniforms being ugly were one of her common complaints about her old school.

" _Nells, it's like dressing like a nun!" she had said once. "For real, if my parents had a choice, they would have sent me to a freaking convent."_

_"You'd probably get kicked out," Penelope had joked._

_"Oh my GOD, Nells!"_

Penelope couldn't help but chuckle when she thought of her friend as she buckled the blazer and smoothed out her knee length skirt.

She heard a knock at her door, she assumed it was Mammon.

"Come in," she responded.

Sure enough, the avatar of greed opened the door and gingerly poked his head through the opening.

"Ya ready?"

"Yeah, let me get my bag."

As they walked down to the dining room, she noticed that Mammon was uncharacteristically quiet. His face was almost turning green and he was walking funny.

"Is everything ok?" She asked

"Mhm..."

"You sure? You look like you're going to throw up."

"Yup, good. So freakin' good."

"Ok... Weirdo."

"Whatever, human."

When they got to the dining room, they found that they were the only ones there.

"I'm going to see if Satan needs help in the kitchen," she told Mammon. "I feel bad about last night."

In the kitchen, she found the blonde demon finishing up the cooking.

"Hey, Satan, right?"

"Nelly."

"How can I help?"

He turned and studied her for a moment.

"I'm almost done, actually."

"Oh. How about I do the dishes, at least?"

"Alright."

He didn't say anything more to her, but she couldn't help but feel embarrassed that she hadn't cooked dinner. Lucifer had not permitted anyone involved in the fiasco to dinner the night before, which apparently included her cooking. She silently washed and dried the cookware and tried to figure out where everything went without asking the avatar of wrath. The fourth time she had opened a drawer, he sighed.

"I'm not going to bite your head off or anything," he said. "You can ask where the pots and pans go."

"I don't want to be a burden," she explained. "I'll figure it out eventually. You should go eat, I'll finish up here."

He watched her for a moment then sighed and grabbed the last tray of food for the breakfast table, leaving her to the search for the correct place for the pans. After a few minutes, she had found all of the rightful places, but was still feeling embarrassed about facing Lucifer. As she leaned against the kitchen island, she took a deep breath.

 _Ok...time to face the music..._ she thought. _Ug_ _h, so embarrassing._

But when she entered the dining room, Lucifer wasn't there. Instead the other demons were eating and talking, Asmo was picking on Mammon for chipping his nail polish while Leviathan gushed about some manga he had been reading to Satan who was politely nodding. Beelzebub was focused on eating something that had way too many legs to be anything Penelope could recognize.

When she sat between Mammon and Asmodeus, she felt the atmosphere change. The brothers were no longer joking with each other, and we're avoiding each other's gazes.

"You should eat," Beelzebub said after a few silent, awkward moments.

"Right," she nodded, but continued to stare at her plate. "Sorry, Satan, it looks great, but... I'm not feeling very hungry."

Satan seemed surprised when she addressed him. 

"Beel's right, Nelly," he responded. "You'll get sick if you don't eat."

"We wouldn't want our lovely Nelly to get sick," Asmo smiled as he gently played with her black curls.

She swatted his hand away. 

"I won't get sick, I can't eat this much food, honestly. I ate once, maybe twice a day back home, been doing it for years. I'm fine, really."

"Once or twice?" Levi reiterated. "Is that...normal for humans?"

It was the first time the kid with the purple hair had spoken to her.

"It is when you can't afford food."

"Damn, Diavolo sure knows how to pick 'em," Mammon muttered.

"Shut up, moron," Satan stared daggers at him. "Nelly, you're welcome to eat whenever you get hungry."

\-----

"Right, so that's your tour," Mammon said in one of the hallways near a classroom "If ya have any trouble, just call me or one of the guys."

"Okay."

"Seriously, I don't wanna deal with Lucifer breathing down my damn neck!"

"Okay."

"And stay away from the lesser demons!"

"Hey, Mammon?"

"What?"

"Thanks for worrying about me."

"I- I ain't worried about ya. Just don't get eaten."

With that, he left her, just in time to see Satan rounding a corner. The brothers didn't even acknowledge each other's presence. Penelope wasn't familiar with these types of sibling relationships, she and Charlie were very close due to their ages, only 10 months apart. Even their younger brother, Justin, could always depend on the two of them. They'd fight over all kinds of stuff, but they had never outright avoided each other or pretended that one if them didn't exist. She considered what Asmodeus had said about them only being brothers because they were made by God.

Satan shot her a glace, frowned, and entered the classroom.

 _What the hell did I do now?_ she wondered as she followed the steady stream of students inside. The classroom looked similar to the ones her community college back home. Instead of desks, there were long tables with chairs bolted to the floor, each row was staggered like the seats at a movie theater or a stadium. Many of the demons were giving her funny looks, the few she locked eyes with would lick their lips or give her dangerous smiles. 

"Pardon me," a man's voice said, and she felt a hand touch her shoulder.

She whipped around to face the owner of the hand and found herself looking into a pair of aquamarine colored eyes. 

"Sorry, it was not my intention to startle you," the man said. "You must be Penelope.

"Sure?" she found herself asking, and trying not to giggle.

"My name is Simeon," he went on. "It is truly a pleasure to finally speak with you. My father had tasked me to protect you, but I regret not having been given permission to actually meet you this way."

She took a step back and found that she was definitely looking at the most handsome man she had ever lay eyes on. His skin was dark and flawless, free of blemish which made his eyes all the more noticeable. He was wearing what looked similar to a cassock and pastor's collar, but it was surprisingly revealing.

"You... You're an angel?"

"I am," he replied as he gently stroked her cheek.


	6. New Kid

"Is there something wrong?" the man asked, a surprised expression on his face.

Penelope had backed away from his touch, falling into a seat, her face heated as she tried to breathe evenly.

"Ah! I like my personal space!" she blushed.

"Simeon," Satan approached the angel from behind. "Could you excuse me? My seat is there."

He gestured to the seat on the other side of Penelope, looking friendly all the while, but his voice betrayed his frustration. There was venom behind his polite choice of words. Simeon did not waver, however.

"Is that so? I was under the impression that it was open seating, and I could have sworn that you were already sitting on the other end of the room. But please, by all means," he said as he stepped out of the way.

Satan's eyebrows knitted together, but he did not give a rebuttal. As he pressed past Penelope and sat to her right, Simeon settled himself in the seat to her left.

"My apologies, Penelope," Simeon continued, as though he had not been interrupted. "I ask for your forgiveness, I momentarily forgot that while I know you, you do not know me."

"I'm... confused," Penelope cocked her head. "How do you know me?"

"Like I said, my Father gave me the task to watch over you and protect you. I believe humans call us 'guardian angels'."

She felt her face warm up even more. An **_ANGEL_** had been watching her back in the human world?

"Oh...so, wow, I'm definitely going to Hell," she chuckled nervously.

"I doubt it," he smiled kindly. "My name is Simeon. I'm very pleased to finally speak with you like this. Before Diavolo's exchange program, you weren't able to hear me speak. But I was able to leave you messages here and there."

"Messages?"

"Little coincidences, here and there, that would help you."

"I- I see. So, like...."

"You're step father had an affection for owls. You've come to see them as good fortune when you are upset. You collect owl feathers, so when you seem down..."

"You leave them where I'll find them?"

"Precisely."

She felt herself blushing again. That was actually really sweet. But also a little bit creepy that this guy- no wait, angel- knew everything about her and was watching her.

"So, wait, you just kinda watch me? So you've seen me-" she cut her sentence short, feeling Satan's eyes burning into the back of her head.

_The bet... As pissed as I was about how nosey they were being, I guess Asmo had a point. It wouldn't hurt to play along._

"- y'know, do stuff?" she finished.

"Penelope, I have no room to judge you. You were given a choice: survive however you can or wither away. My father is not blind to how some humans must live, and contrary to popular belief, he doesn't punish you for choosing survival."

"Ah, so that takes us into our subject for you new additions,- Theology" a woman's voice echoed off of the walls.

She looked human, but Penelope was certain that she must be a demon. Her skin was the darkest she had ever seen, and her eyes were far from human, almond in shape and shining like molten gold, no whites to be seen. She was, in Penelope's opinion, the most beautiful woman she had ever laid eyes on.

"Welcome, to the both of you. I am Baast. And while we will be covering Celestial theology in depth," she made a gesture towards Simeon. "It won't be for a few more weeks."

\--------  
"I hope I did not make you uncomfortable, Penelope," Simeon helped her stand after class.

"Lying to an angel might be a sin, so you did a little? But, I feel better now," she nodded as they exited the room. "Um... Also I'd like to thank you."

"Hm? For what?"

"Dad held us together, and you knew how to cheer me up no matter how bad things got. Thank you for that."

"Your stepfather was a good man."

"Dad. He's my dad."

"Of course, my apologies," he looked a little sad. "I know that the accident still weighs heavily on you." 

  
"OI! Hands off, Simeon!" 

Mammon was barreling down the hallway, shoving other demons out of his way.

"Don't...touch...the...human..." he breathed heavily.

"Ah, Mammon! Goodness, you do look different," Simeon perked up. "You got taller." 

"I'm the same height I always was!" 

"Truly? Must be my mistake then. Penelope, I would be honored if you would visit at Purgatory Hall. I would like to speak with you more."

"Yeah," she agreed. "It sounds like we have some catching up to do."

"You shouldn't be hangin' out with those guys," Mammon glared at Simeon as he walked to his next class.

"You don't like him," she stated. "Satan was rude to him, too."

"Wow, what a shocker, demons don't like angels," Satan joined them. "Trust me, Nelly, angels are bad news."

"And Simeon is one of the most pathetic, the guy just watches you humans," Mammon rolled his eyes. "Anyway, hurry up, I'm in your next class and I've got enough on my plate right now so I can't just stand here and babysit ya."

He grabbed her hand and took off as she gave a slight wave goodbye to Satan.

\-----  
DING

_Satan: Simeon knows._

_Levi: LMAO this is going 2 end badly 4 all of u_

_Mammon: Shut up, Levi._

_Satan: He's also invited her over to their dorm._

_Beel: Do you think he'd make me a BLT?_

_Mammon: How can ya be thinkin' about food right now?_

_Beel: Cuz I'm hungry._

_Beel: And Simeon makes really good BLTs_

_Asmo: He probably won't tell any of us about it._

_Satan: Righteous-Wings won't tell us, but the chihuahua probably would if he got riled up enough._

_Levi: Hey Stupidmammon_

_Mammon: WHAT DID I TELL YA ABOUT CALLIN' ME THAT?!_

_Levi: If by some chance you win the bet, you can give it to me as an advance on the money you owe me._

_Mammon has left the chat._

  
\------

The classes were not much different from what Penelope was used to at her community college. On one hand there were some basics like math and language and histories, but there were also classes in magic that she found fascinating, but couldn't understand the formulas in the books. Then there was demon casts, which helped her understand what everyone meant by "lower level demons". And then there was the physical education class: dance. Penelope froze as she saw that Asmo and Beel were in that class with her. The instructor was a lithe man ( _no, demon_ , Penelope had to remind herself) who introduced himself as Phenex.

"Well well, lucky me," Phenex said as he watched Penelope. "I get the other human, do I?"

Penelope didn't say anything. The name was familiar to her, she had heard it in some movie that she used to watch with her family, but she couldn't remember any details about him. And even if she could, she was certain they wouldn't have been accurate.

"Tell me," he went on. "Are you as much of a disappointment as the other one at this subject?"

"... Uh... I-" she began before Asmo threw an arm around her shoulders. 

"Oh she's an excellent dancer, Phenex!" he said cheerfully. "Beel and I would be happy to be her partners. We'll take care of everything!"

\--------  
"Did ya have any trouble today?" Mammon asked her as the other students hustled around.

"Well, I met my guardian angel, the dance teacher hates me, and I'm living with six strange men that can't even look me in the eye," she gave him a look. "Just par for the course."

"But, like, no one tried to eat you, or... y'know do anything else?" 

"Uh... No? Not that I can think of? Wait, why are you concerned?"

"I ain't concerned!"

"I've only known you for two days. You're rude, obnoxious, an asshole-"

"OI!"

"- but your also sweet, funny, and dare I say it, I think you do care about me for some reason, and it has nothing to do with Lucifer. So, spill it."

"You seriously don't know? I thought you humans tracked this crap?"

"Tracked what? Tell me what's going on! Why have you and your brothers been watching me? And don't say it's to stop a demon from eating me!"

"Pfft, you humans are so stupid."

"And that's another thing! I have a name!"

"Like that matters!"

"It's because it's your time of the month," an unfamiliar voice intruded on them. 

A young man who seemed about a year or so older than Penelope with white hair and cold eyes was smiling at them. 

"S-Solomon," Mammon cast his eyes away.

Penelope felt her face grow heated.

"Ex-excuse me?" she forced.

"You're time," he continued. "When human women are at their most fertile. We've pretty much lost our ability to sense it, but demons can sense all of our primal desires. That's why they are acting strange, it must be your peak."

Penelope didn't know what to say. Mammon noticed out of his peripheral vision that her face was growing even more red by the second.

"Well, I hope to speak with you again, Penelope. I'm in Purgatory Hall. Good afternoon." 

With that, Solomon left them. 


	7. Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Penelope finds someone she can trust

Penelope didn't say a word as she and Mammon walked back to the House of Lamentation, and the demon did not attempt to initiate further discussion. She stared at her feet as she walked, arms crossed, desperately trying to avoid eye contact with anyone who came near. When they made it through the front door, Mammon did not dare speak as she made a beeline for the stairs, but she found herself colliding with one of the demon brothers.

"Oh, Nelly," Beel's voice came from the behemothin front of her. 

Her eyes snapped upwards and locked with his. For a moment, she forgot about Solomon- but only a moment, then she cast her gaze towards the bannister.

"We were going to have dinner early and have a movie night, aren't you coming?" Beel went on, not noticing her blush.

"N-no, thanks though," she told him. "I appreciate the offer, but I'm not feeling well. I just need to lay down. Excuse me."

But despite her attempt to move around him, he put an arm out and gently rested it on her shoulder.

"Is this about Phenex? He's rough around the edges, don't let it bother you. He doesn't like any of the new students."

"It's not, it really isn't. It was just kind of a rough first day, that's all. I just need to be alone."

With that, he let her go. Once she was out of earshot, Beel turned to Mammon who had been leaning against the front door.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Solomon happened," Mammon felt a shiver in his spine. "The guy just showed up outta nowhere and told her about the... y'know..."

"Hm?"

"Y'know! The... " Mammon gestured wildly

"What is wrong with you?"

"Wait, are ya really sayin' you can't tell?"

"Tell what?"

"Eh... Whatever, ask Lucifer to explain it to ya. Whose on cooking duty tonight?"

\---------

Once Penelope made it to her room, she quickly locked the door behind her. She didn't know what to do- hide there for the rest of her life or go downstairs and pretend nothing happened. Cycle tracking had never been something she particularly cared about, it was just a shitty thing she had to deal with- only becoming more annoying when the club owner, Carl, would get pissy about one of the girls called out. Now, however, she would need to be diligent. But that didn't make this any less embarrassing. Of course, she was no stranger to embarrassment with her line of work, but at least most of the guys there wouldn't recognize her at the grocery store. These guys could sense if she was horny AND she had to live with them, look at them, eat with them, and be in public with them. And Asmo totally knew, but he didn't say a damned thing! Maybe he wasn't as nice as she thought.

"They really are demons," she said to herself.

And Beel.... Fuck, what did Beel think? So far, he and Lucifer were the only ones of who weren't treating her like a ticking time bomb.

DING

_Lucifer: Are you alright?_

_Nells: I'm embarrassed, but otherwise I'm fine._

_Lucifer: My apologies, I should have told you. We would be honored to have you join us this evening._

_Lucifer: I rarely have time to join my brothers for a movie night, I would like you to attend. My brothers will behave._

  
A sudden knock on her door made her jump. She sighed as she placed a hand over her heart, as though she was trying to force it to return to a steady pace, but the rush of adrenaline after being startled had her feeling a bit light headed.

When she unlocked and opened the door, Beel's massive frame was on the other side, holding a plate.

"I brought you food, can I come in?" he asked.

"Uh... Y-yeah, sure..."

He handed her the plate as they sat on her bed.

"Beel, this plate is empty," she couldn't help but giggle.

"Ah, sorry, I got hungry... I get hungry when I'm nervous."

"What's there to be nervous about?"

"Lucifer explained it to me..." his cheeks blushed over. "Please come down to dinner."

"I don't know, I don't want to make anyone uncomfortable."

"If you'd like, I can hang Mammon from the chandelier."

"Wh-what?!" She stared at him wide eyed. "Why would I want that?"

"It cheers Lucifer up."

He started when she began laughing.

"Beel, are you trying to cheer me up?"

"I guess... Is it working?"

"Well, you helped me to forget about this afternoon for a second, so yeah."

The corners of his mouth curved up into a smile.

"Hey Beel?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks, I appreciate it."

"Hey, uh... I kinda feel bad about this... My brothers have a bet and I-"

"It's okay. I already know about it."

"Oh."

He looked away from her.

"Sorry," he said. "You've only been here a couple of days and we've all been jerks to you."

"Well... Not all of you."

"I, uh, got in the bet too."

"What do you get if you win?"

"Asmo buys me dinner."

_I guess that makes sense?_ she thought.

"Well, I've already done how much embarrassing stuff today, what's one more thing?"

"Hm?"

"I was a stripper. After my family died, I spent all the money paying for Justin's hospital bill, and for their plots. I had to sell my car, move in with a friend from school, and when you've got the older generation taking the minimum wage jobs that the high school kids are trying to get, that's not exactly easy."

She paused, waiting for him to laugh or something. But he just watched her with curiosity.

"A couple days after I turned 19, these girls are in the cafeteria, basically recruiting other girls. And my dumbass believed them. I needed to pay my rent, I needed more than instant ramen once a day, and I honestly hoped I could pay for school. I was a fucking idiot."

"You were desperate and hungry," he said quietly. His chest felt heavy when she sounded so empty and lost. This was... new. "Hunger makes people do strange things."

"Yeah, and I've been that way ever since. There's some legal bullshit loophole that the owner used to pay us like, $1 an hour, and most people didn't tip well. I've been doing that for the last three years. The owner would sometimes have us do... Ugh..."

"It's ok, you don't have to say anything if you don't want to."

Penelope realized that she had been digging her nails into his arm. She didn't remember when her hand ever touched him, but she withdrew it and found the indentations of her nails, a product of her nervous rage when she thought about everything that had happened since her family had died five years previously. Why was she telling him all of this? Why did she feel so relaxed around him? He was a freaking demon, Hell a demon that any human who had picked up a book or watched a movie would know. And here she was telling him about all of her emotional baggage. But, despite everything that religion or pop culture had said about the Lord of the Flies, he really seemed the most... Human? Was that weird? 

"Sorry, for unloading that on you," she finally said. "This isn't your problem."

"I don't mind, honestly."

"I guess I'm just scared. I feel alone here, and for some reason I feel like I can talk to you."

"You want to know something?"

"Sure."

"Everyone thinks I'm just this bottomless pit and muscles. And, well, yeah. But, I'm more than that. I care about my brothers, a lot. I would do anything for them. And you seem like a person I can trust."

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Penelope's stomach growled. Her eyes widened as she stared at the floor, when an even louder growl came from Beel's stomach. They locked eyes before-

"Pfff-haha" he laughed.

"Well, I ruined the moment," she laughed with him. "I am so sorry!"

"Nono! It's ok!"

"Guess we should go downstairs for dinner?"

"That sounds good to me."

"Thanks for letting me rant to you, and thank you for trusting me."

"Ah, I probably owe you something embarrassing?"

"You really don't have to," she put her hand back over his. "Thanks, though."

He swallowed, his cheeks turning pink, clashing against his red hair. He didn't know what this feeling was, it was completely new and foreign. It was like his heart was going to jump out of his chest. He didn't know how to say "you're cute when you smile". If only his brother was there, he could have helped him sort through these feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a rough one to write, I didn't know where I should end the chapter, but there are shenanigans coming in the next chapter!


	8. Movie Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for movie night

"-volo can't hear about this, I expressly forbid it. And if I catch you again, I'll have you assist in Cerberus' teeth cleaning."

"So kinky, right Satan?"

"Shut up, Asmo."

"Quiet, both of you. Mammon, go get Levi out of his room, the sooner he gets down here and eats the better."

"Why do I gotta do it?"

"Unless you'd rather bathe Cerberus for me."

"Nope, I'm goin'!"

The conversation in the dining room was your typical Monday night at the House of Lamentation. Beel could hear the human's heart beat faster as they approached, but he reassuringly placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry about it," he told her.

Mammon rushed past them towards Levi's room without a word as they sat at their seats.

"Good, you came down," Lucifer nodded slightly.

"Yeah, thanks," she said.

"So, Nelly," Satan cleared his throat. "You like movies, right?"

"Of course," she nodded. 

"What's your favorite genre?"

"Heh, that's a little hard to answer."

"Hear that, Beel?" Asmo smiled. "Our darling Nelly has more than o- OUCH! LUCIFER!"

Apparently, Lucifer had kicked Asmo from under the table. Penelope thought she saw a tear well up in the Avatar of Lust's eyes.

"I mean, I guess I do have more than one favorite, but if I could only pick one... musical cult films."

"What's a...musical cult film?" Beel asked as he reached for what might have been his third helping if whatever meat was on the table.

"B grade movies with an underground or cult following, except it's a musical," Levi answered before directing his attention towards Mammon who was walking behind him. "You're lucky I just finished my game."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever," Mammon rolled his eyes.

"Right. Like, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Repo the genetic Opera..."

"You should show me some of those sometime," Satan nodded. "I'm afraid I'm not familiar."

"They kinda have an acquired taste, but sure. I saw my movie collection made it here from my apartment, so that would be fun. Beel said you guys are having a movie night after dinner, what are we watching?"

"It's this stupid mystery that Satan likes," Mammon told her.

"You only think it's stupid because you can't understand any of it," Asmo said.

"You didn't strike me as a mystery fan," Penelope frowned.

"Oh, they can be right up my alley, if you catch my drift," he winked at her.

\-------

The movie reminded Penelope of a Sherlock Holmes type of story. It started off with an upcoming actress reaching out to a renowned detective for help in locating a family member who has gone missing, the only clues left behind being a strange coded message. Levi was sat on one end of a long black sofa, slouching do much that he was practically on the ground, with his D.D.D. in his hands. Next to him, Asmo was laying his head on Lucifer's shoulder, as the eldest held Mammon in place. The Avatar of Greed had attempted to slip away unnoticed with some valuable artifact. Beel was using one of his legs to help pin Mammon to the sofa, a huge tub of popcorn in one hand, while Satan watched the movie on the other end of the couch.

Penelope chose to sit alone in a black armchair, her legs tucked beneath her, on the same side of the room as Satan. The blond haired demon seemed to be enjoying the story, and Penelope made a mental note to ask him if he wanted to borrow her "Murder, She Wrote" series.

Unknown to her, however, Beelzebub kept glancing over to the human. He was considering whether or not he wanted to reveal to his brothers that he had won the bet. On one hand, Asmo would get him food. On the other, Penelope had confided in him. While he didn't understand why she was so embarrassed about being a stripper, he did know that it was a big deal to her. But why did that matter when food was on the line? Even with his twin, who was far away in the human realm, he would sometimes eat now and ask forgiveness later. Maybe he should talk to Asmo? Assuming the avatar of lust didn't just use it as an opportunity to get him into his bed. 

Every so often, the human would check her D.D.D., type something, then return her focus to the movie. Sometimes, whatever she was reading would cause her to smile and he felt an odd emptiness, like hunger, but not quite.

 _Who is making you smile?_ he wondered. _I_ _want to make you smile, too_.

What was that? Where had that come from?

\--------

❗

Simeon: PENELOPE

Simeon: THIS IS SIMEON

Simeon: I AM LEARNING TEXTJNG

Simeon: TEXTING

Nells: Hey Simeon

Nells: Haha, I can see that. All caps?

Simeon: LUKE IS GETTING DINNER STARTDD SND I DONT KNOW HOW TO YURN OFF YHR CAOS

Simeon: STARTED AND TURN OFF TGE CAPS

Simeon: PLEASE HELP ME TURN OFF THE CAPS

\-----------

When the movie had ended, Penelope said goodnight to the brothers, then made her way back up to her room. Once she had left, Levi shifted uncomfortably.

"How much longer?" he asked the room.

"A couple more days," Lucifer said.

"Ugh, seriously?!" 

"If you ever need relief, you know where to find me," Asmo purred.

"NOPE NO ABSOLUTELY NOT. I'M GOING TO BED! STAY AWAY!"

With that, the avatar of envy scrambled off to his sanctuary.

"Classes in the morning, everyone get to your rooms. And Mammon? Keep Solomon away from her."

\---------

When her alarm went off, Penelope groaned. She wasn't looking forward to yet another day of having the entirety of RAD know her business. After a quick shower, putting her hair up into twin buns, and donning her uniform, she made her way to the dining room, to find that Lucifer was already there.

"Good morning," she greeted.

"Good morning," he replied before putting more of whatever weird demon food he was eating into his mouth. "You slept well?"

"Yeah," she sat in the same chair she had the day before. "It's been surprisingly easy to sleep here. I haven't needed my medication since Friday night."

"Ah, right, I forgot your application mentioned you had a prescription that would need to be refilled regularly."

"I have enough for another couple of weeks, but I'll have to see my doctor to up the dosage like they wanted. Will I still be able to do that?'

"For medical reasons, that can be arranged. About yesterday-"

"It's alright, you aren't responsible for that silver haired asshole embarrassing me like that."

"We- I should have told you. Perhaps this could have been avoided."

"I can't believe I'm actually going to ask you this, but... is it as... bad...as it was yesterday?"

Lucifer finally looked up at her. She wanted to look away, but his eyes were so captivating that she found herself unable to do so. 

_These guys have no business being this fucking hot._

"No, it isn't. But you should still keep your head down, if Mammon can't be with you, stick close to one of the others. Even Simeon would be able to protect you if need be, but I prefer you stay near one of my brothers."

"When I'm done, will I have more freedom? Or will Mammon have to keep babysitting me?"

"Penelope, your human soul is vibrant. Like a diamond waiting to be polished, and as you go through your tasks here, the more polished it will become, the higher price it will fetch. And as it becomes more polished, more demons will want to devour it. What you must focus on is polishing it, then returning to your world."

"It just seems like Diavolo didn't make the right choice with me."

"Lord Diavolo made a choice, and that is final here. It is best for us all to make the most of it."

His tone had been cold. A shiver ran up her spine. Had she upset him somehow? 

"Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you."

The corner of his lips lifted into a half smile for a moment, before his expression became stoic once more.

"Ah, you're already here, huh?" Mammon took his seat next to the human. "Good, I don't wanna wait on ya."

"Right," she nodded.

"Mammon," Lucifer looked at the second born's disheveled uniform disapprovingly. "You are a mber of the student council. It is beyond me as to why you don't take some pride in your appearance."

"Nah, I have a reputation to uphold," Mammon grabbed something that looked like bread and possibly caviar? "Besides, I try to let you handle all things prideful."

Penelope tried to snort as she took a drink of some orange juice they had stocked up for her, but she ended up choking as some of the liquid went to the wrong pipe. 

\---------------

"That's it! I've had it with you!"

After helping wash the dishes, Penelope found Leviathan and Mammon to be the only ones left in the dining room. Leviathan was beyond pissed, his anger flooded the room.

"I told ya, I'll pay ya back!"

"Ugh, you're scum, y'know? It's been years, I want my money back! Today!"

"Gee, what are ya, a loan shark? I told ya already, I don't have any cash right now!'

"By the time we get back here after classes, you better have my money, or else!" Leviathan stomped away to head to classes.

"What was all that about?" Penelope asked.

"Never ya mind," Mammon shook his head. "Ya done or what? Let's go already."


End file.
